Charlie Trotter

Charlie Trotter

For more than 20 years, Charlie Trotter has dedicated himself to excellence in the culinary arts and his restaurant has been recognized by a variety of prestigious national and international institutions including Relais & Chateaux: Relais Gourmand; Mobil Travel Guide: Five Stars; AAA: Five Diamonds; Traditions & Qualité, the James Beard Foundation: Who’s Who of Food and Beverage in America and the Award for Outstanding Wine Service. The restaurant has received the Grand Award from the Wine Spectator, which recently named Charlie Trotter’s as the Best Restaurant in the United States.

Beyond his numerous culinary accolades, Chef Trotter has many philanthropic ties to a vast number of national and international charities. Most close to his heart is the Charlie Trotter Culinary Education Foundation. Since its inception in 1999, Chef Trotter hosts three dinners each week for High School students, as well as underwriting annual fund raising dinners for the foundation. To date the foundation has raised over 1,000,000 to award to individuals seeking careers in the culinary arts.

Chef Trotter has received awards at the White House from both President Bush and Colin Powell for his work with his Culinary Foundation and was named one of only five “heroes” to be honored by Colin Powell’s charity, America’s Promise. In 2005, Chef Trotter was awarded the Humanitarian of the Year award by the International Association of Culinary Professionals for his overall service to the community.